The New York Giants will need to trim their roster from 90 players to 53 players by the end of training camp, but none of those jobs will be determined during organized team activities (OTAs).
While meeting with reporters on Thursday, head coach Brian Daboll said he’s treating the voluntary program like a “teaching camp” and roster spots won’t be won or lost based on performance.
“It’s spring ball,” Daboll said. “We’ve talked about this I think the last two years. This is really a teaching camp.
“There’s no roster spots that are going to be made based on what they do here. This is more learning how we’re doing it, the communication aspect of it, but as a whole they have done a good job in the meeting room, out on the practice field, working well together, so try to build off that.”
OTAs also allow Daboll and the Giants to find added versatility across their roster. That could mean players being used out of position or working at multiple positions within the same unit.
“It’s May right now, so we’re trying to teach as many players different techniques. One time they might be guard, one time they might be tackle, you never know what we’re going to need. We’ll get to the depth chart much, much further down the road,” Daboll said.
Given the Giants’ seemingly endless injury issues, that added versatility always comes in handy — especially along the offensive line.
“We got a long time between now and August and once we go through training camp, we get through this phase three, we’ll teach them the that stuff we’re doing. There’s obviously certain changes we’re doing,” Daboll said. “They will have a chance with pads on to compete and then when we figure out what we think is the right five combination, whenever that is, that’s when it is. Whether it’s in the beginning of August and however it sorts out.”
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